Ruth Nada Nelson of Sacramento, CA, passed away on October 19th, 2017, at the age of 86. Ruth was born on April 2nd, 1931, to Ralph and Nada Pollock in Bellevue, PA. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1953 with a Masters Degree in English. She met Wayne at a square dance at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and they were married on December 26, 1956. They moved to California, living in Ft. Bragg and Seaside. In 1968 they moved, along with their three children, to Albuquerque, NM, so that Wayne could get his doctorate. During this time Ruth taught gifted children at Hover Jr. High School. They moved back to Turlock, CA, where she enrolled in the Masters Degree program in archaeology at Stanislaus State College. While earning her degree she worked part-time doing archaeology survey, excavation and lab work in California and Nevada. She also taught Cultural and Physical Anthropology at Columbia College, as well as English as a second language, and extension classes in Southeast Asian culture and California Indians. Her archaeological travels took her to Tunisia, Indonesia, and Israel. In 1993 Ruth and Wayne retired and moved to Farmington, New Mexico where she continued to teach anthropology classes and senior classes through film at San Juan College. In 2010 Ruth and Wayne moved to Sacramento to be closer to family.
Ruth was an active member in the First Presbyterian church, serving as an elder and a deacon and singing in the choir.
Ruth is survived by her husband of 60 years Wayne, daughters Anne (Steve) and Melanie, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her son Glenn Nelson and her grandson Max Birchfield.
The family would like to thank the staff at Carlton Memory Care and Absolute Compassion Hospice for taking care of Mom, and us, with such kindness and caring during her time of need.
Graveside services will be held at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery on November 2nd, 2017, at 1:30 PM.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Ruth Nelson to the Alzheimer’s Association at P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC, 20090, 800-272-3900, www.alz.org. So that the family can acknowledge your donation, please reference Melanie Nelson, 5716 Folsom Blvd., #353, Sacramento, CA 95819.
